Name: Crockpot Dr Pepper Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lbs frozen meatballs; 18 oz Favorite BBQ Sauce; 16.9 oz bottle of Dr. Pepper

Print the Recipe

Making Crockpot Dr Pepper meatballs is easy and fun! This recipe is perfect for an appetizer but can also be an excellent meal prep for lunches or dinners!

Disclosure: This post contains links to items you can purchase that we make a commission on.

Pin that shows the finished crockpot Dr Pepper meatballs ready to eat.

When it comes to appetizers or snacks…or any recipe for that matter I like easy. This simple Crockpot recipe is great for busy weeknights or parties and events.

If you don’t want to spend the entire time in the kitchen, you’ll love this slow cooker recipe that can be put on and ignored!

Everyone loves meatballs. They’re a great finger food that can also be served with rice and veggies for a full meal, on a bun for a quick sandwich or sub, or in a variety of other ways.

A look into the full crockpot of meatballs ready to serve.

I love making meatballs for parties. Everyone always gets excited and there’s never any leftovers.

I’ve shared a couple of my other favorite slow cooker meatball recipes like Coca Cola meatballs, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs, Swedish Meatballs in the Crockpot, and I also have this collection of meatball recipes you can check out!

Here’s what you’ll need to make Crockpot Dr Pepper meatballs:

This recipe uses very few ingredients. After you try this recipe you’ll be shocked that you didn’t try it sooner…and you’ll never make them the same way again.

A close up of the finished recipe for meatballs.

We will be using frozen meatballs for this recipe you can use beef ones or turkey ones or you can make your own meatballs and freeze them. Either way, it’s best to start with frozen meatballs.

The other two ingredients are just your favorite barbecue sauce and Dr Pepper soda!

The Dr Pepper might seem goofy but it really does add a ton of flavors to the mix and it helps thin the bbq sauce out so that it coats the meatballs and doesn’t get too thick while they cook!

A stack of the finished Dr Pepper meatballs ready to eat.

How to make Dr Pepper meatballs in the slow cooker:

First we have to pour the soda into the slow cooker.

Next we will add the BBQ sauce and stir until blended. Use a whisk or a frother to make sure that it’s well combined and the bbq sauce will be thin!

Finally we will add in all of the frozen meatballs to the slow cooker. Use a pretty large slow cooker or Crockpot for this process. I like a 6 or 8 quart for a large batch of meatballs!

Now, use a spoon to gently coat meatballs with sauce so that they're evenly distributed and totally covered with sauce.

You'll need to put on the lid and cook on high for 3 hours if meatballs are frozen. If you are using fresh meatballs you can cook on low for 3 hours!

A top down view of a plate with a save of Dr Pepper meatballs ready to eat.

Ensure the internal temp of meatballs reaches 165 degrees before serving if they're not precooked!

Looking for other easy and delicious recipes to try:

Making delicious recipes is easy with the slow cooker. Everything here at Slow Cooker Living can be made in the Crockpot! That means life in the kitchen is simple and stress free.

Here we see the meatballs on a plate with the Crockpot in the background.

I have a little something for everyone from desserts like this chocolate peanut butter lava cake to indulgent breakfasts like monkey bread with cranberries. Another great breakfast idea is this Crockpot breakfast casserole.

If you are looking for dinner recipes try out my favorite beef ribs. You can also make this easy chicken and dumplings! Need some finger foods? Try out these delicious wing recipes all made in the slow cooker or some meatballs made in the slow cooker.